Everything was arranged according to well-conceived plans, and the preliminaries to an unprecedented offensive were completed by June 6.  Guns of different calibre were massed at points of vantage, cleverly camouflaged to conceal them from enemy observation.  Dumps were replete with the necessary supplies of ammunition, and scrupulous regard was paid to arrangements for keeping the lines of communication clear.  Provision was made for the treatment of wounded and their evacuation, and for the burial of the killed.  Refreshment stalls were established at convenient points, where the attacking troops and the wounded could receive hot coffee and biscuits.  Nothing that could be done for the comfort of the men and to ensure the success of the venture was overlooked.

Only those who are actually at the Front have any conception of the amount of work involved in assuming the aggressive.  The staff responsible for perfecting the organization are deserving of the highest praise.  There had been numerous rumours in connexion with mines.  The air was electric, the men were confident, and all were determined to do their level best to uphold the splendid traditions bequeathed by older Australian units.

During the night preceding the dawn of June 6 the troops who were to take part in the attack marched to their respective assembling points.  The march was uneventful up to a certain stage, after which large clouds of gas were encountered, which rendered necessary the wearing of respirators.  Despite the sickly sensation produced by the inhalation of gas, the troops advanced.  There is much to be written of the latter part of the approach march, but that will be recorded by others.  It is sufficient to state that certain unforeseen events threatened to seriously disorganize things, but these were overcome as they were met with.

Almost simultaneously with the first faint streak of the dawn of June 7 the mines at Hill 60 and St. Yves were exploded.  The sight was awe-inspiring, and the ground trembled as if in the throes of an agonizing palsy.  On the tick of the appointed time our ‘boys’ went ‘over the top.’  It was for this experience that they had worked and waited.  They advanced immediately behind the barrage so consistently sustained by the artillery, and in the face of a terrific fusilade of machine-gun fire which seemed to leap upon them from almost every angle.  Some of the enemy machine-guns were captured by our troops, who used them with deadly effect upon the then retiring foe.  All the objectives were obtained with clock-like precision.  Again and again the victorious troops were subjected to withering counter-attacks, and shells fell around them like hail.  There was no faltering.  They held the recovered ground in the face of a merciless tornado of steel and bullets.